Gravitational Potential Energy

Have you ever stood on a diving board, ready to jump? Or watched someone sledding down a snowy hill? These are great examples of gravitational potential energy in action!

Gravitational potential energy is the stored energy an object has because of its position. The higher it is, the more energy it has.

Imagine a gymnast balancing on a high beam. She has more potential energy than someone standing on the ground because gravity acts over a greater height, increasing the energy stored due to her elevated position.

The same goes for a man sitting on a sled at the top of a hill. The higher the hill, the more gravitational potential energy the sled has before sliding down.

When the gymnast jumps or the sled starts moving downhill, the stored gravitational potential energy transforms into kinetic energy, the energy of motion.

This energy depends on three factors: the object’s mass, the height, and the force of gravity. The higher you lift something or the heavier something is, the more gravitational potential energy it stores.